Restless
by flyersfan3588
Summary: Bones is having trouble dealing with Booth's kidnapping.  It is angsty, but, as always, there will be BB fluff!
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, first of all, I just want to reiterate that I absolutely suck at titles! But hopefully, musie more than makes up for it in the storylines! Second, just when I was about to give up, musie decided that she wanted to come out and play again! So, here it is, the first chapter of a fic that I have no clue where I'm going with, or how long it's gonna be! She wouldn't leave me alone till I posted it! lol!**

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Chapter 1

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The odor of gasoline and oil, mixed with the unmistakable smell of burnt flesh, struck her as she opened the door. She looked around wildly, her eyes slowly adjusting to the dark room. Her pulse was racing, adreneline rushing through her body.

"Booth?!" Her voice echoed in the cavernous room. Her mind barely registered the shouts of the agents outside as they captured the kidnapper. Running farther into the room, she noticed a body lying on the floor, and her heart skipped a beat until she saw that it wasn't him.

Ignoring him, her eyes scanned the room once more, coming to rest on another figure, tied to a chair, motionless on the floor. "Booth." Her voice was barely a whisper this time as she knelt beside him. Her breath caught in her throat as she took in the blood, the bruises.

She reached out, gently touching his cheek, as she stared into his eyes. Those beautiful brown eyes that had always shown so much emotion, now lifeless, staring into nothing. "No, God, please no!" Tears fell unheeded from her eyes as she pleaded to a God she didn't believe in, for a life she knew she couldn't live without.

She felt hands pulling her away. "No..."

"Come on, baby. It'll be okay."

She heard her father's voice as if it were coming from far away. She shook her head. "No, nothing's okay!" Staring down at him, this man who had come to mean everything to her, she knew what she said was true. Nothing was ever going to be okay again.

The hands were pulling her again, and she turned, but instead of her father's face, she saw Gallagher's, his features a mask of fury. He raised his arm, and she saw the screwdriver clutched in his hand.

"Say goodbye, Dr. Brennan!"

She closed her eyes, waiting for the blow, almost welcoming the feel of the steel piercing her flesh. She fell to the floor. As the blackness claimed her, she heard his voice. "Bones." Weak, soft, but unmistakably Booth's.

She fought the darkness, but it reached up, dragging her down. "Booth..." she whispered. Her last thought before she succumbed was, _'What have I done?'_

Brennan gasped, bolting up in bed, her heart pounding in her chest. She pushed herself against the headboard, trying to catch her breath, willing the images out of her mind.

It had been two weeks since they had rescued Booth. Two weeks of waking up to the same nightmare, over and over again. The dream never varied. They were always too late, Gallagher was always there, and there was always Booth's voice, following her down into the darkness.

Gradually, the tremors in her body eased, and she got her breathing under control. She felt herself reaching for the phone, but stopped before she dialed the number, as she always did. She wanted to hear his voice, to reassure herself that he was okay, but she didn't want to wake him.

'_It's four in the morning, Brennan'_ She knew he wouldn't mind, but he would wonder, and she didn't want to answer any questions right now. She hadn't told anyone about the dreams, not even Angela. She'd deal with it herself, just like she had dealt with everything since she was 15 years old.

Knowing that sleep wouldn't return, she slipped out of bed, her eye catching Jasper sitting on her nightstand beside the alarm clock.

_'You're gonna be okay.'_

_'Yeah?'_

_'Definately.'_

She smiled, remembering. Everything was going to be alright. Booth was fine, she was fine, and the nightmares would end soon. Shaking off the little voice in the back of her mind, telling her that was a lie, she made her way into the bathroom.

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**Well, that's it for now, I hope to have more tomorrow, musie seems to be in a very happy mood! Anyhoo, please let me know what you think! I think I may have mentioned once or twice before how much I love reviews! lol! Oh, and musie loves them too, makes her write more, so... click on that button, people!!!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, sorry this wasn't up last night, but I got carried away with nonsense! Kiki's back! Yay!**

**Anyhoo, hope you like this one! And thanks again to all my wonderful reviewers, without you, this would be really boring!**

Two weeks later

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Brennan bent over the bones on the table, trying to fight the exhaustion that was threatening to overwhelm her. The sleepless nights were starting to take their toll. Instead of going away, the nightmares were becoming more frequent, sometimes happening two or three times a night.

She was working more than ever, dropping exhausted into bed when she could no longer keep her eyes open, hoping she would be too tired to dream, but it wasn't working.

Rubbing a hand over her eyes, she forced herself to concentrate on the task at hand. Booth would be here any minute, and she wanted to be able to give him answers. The sooner they closed this case, the better.

"Hey, Bones." She looked up and watched her partner swipe his security card and walk up onto the platform. She took in his appearance, the crisp, charcoal gray suit, black and red striped tie, and it struck her, as it always did, just how handsome he was.

He looked at her expectantly. "So, what have you got for me?"

She shook her head. "Nothing, I'm not quite done yet. Give me fifteen minutes."

Booth looked at her, surprise evident in his features. Normally she would be finished by now, and he'd be on his way to get the bad guy. "Is there a problem?"

She glared at him, her eyes flashing with sudden anger. "No, Booth, there's no problem with the bones, the only problem is you hassling me!"

Booth flinched at her tone. "Jeez, Bones! Okay, sorry, I'll just go wait in your office." He turned and walked off.

Brennan watched him walk away, immediately regretting her outburst. What was she doing? God, she was just so tired, she couldn't think straight! Shaking her head, she leaned back over the table, pushing everything out of her mind except the child's bones in front of her.

Booth walked into Bones' office, and dropped down into her chair. Something was definately going on with her, he just didn't know what. She had been very edgy lately, even refusing to go out in the field with him for their last two cases, and she had stopped asking him if she could drive, which was definately not like her.

He had tried talking to her about it, but she either ignored him or snapped at him. Now it was getting worse, and she looked exhausted. And, the scariest thing to him was that it was taking her twice as long to do her job. What had always been second nature to her had now become a chore.

Sighing, he sat back, glancing at her computer screen. Frowning at the boring Jeffersonian logo that she used as her screen saver, he decided to change it. He had nothing else to do, he had been over the file about a thousand times, and besides, she could use some cheering up.

Fifteen minutes later, Brennan walked into her office to find her partner gleefully playing on her computer. "Booth, what on earth are you doing?!"

He looked up guiltily, pushing himself back from the desk. "Nothing, Bones." He flashed her a smile.

"Don't even think about it!" She shook her head. "Your charm smile is not going to work on me! I have important files on here, not to mention the next three chapters of my book..."

"Take it easy, Bones! I was just playing around." He almost laughed at the expression on her face. "I didn't erase anything, I promise." He stood up and looked at her expectantly. "So...were you able to match the cut marks on the bone to James Robinson's knife?"

Brennan nodded. "Yes." Picking up the file that he had laid on her desk, she sat down in the chair he had just vacated.

"Great." He rubbed his hands together. "Let's go arrest the creep!"

"You go ahead. I... I have a few things to finish up here."

"Bones, what's going on?" Sitting down across the desk from her, he leaned forward, concern in his eyes. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

"I..." Looking into his eyes, she found herself almost telling him about the dreams. It would have been so easy to just let it out, but old habits die hard, and she hated being dependant on anyone. Besides, what would he be able to do for her, anyway? She took a deep breath. "I'm fine, really. I'm just...tired." She held up her hand when she saw he was about to argue. "I'm going to go home, I promise."

Booth nodded. He knew there was more that she wasn't saying, but he also knew she wouldn't tell him until she was ready. "You'd better." He stood up. "You know I'll check."

Brennan let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding. He turned to walk out, but she called out to stop him. "Booth?"

He looked back at her. "Yeah?"

"I...I'm sorry. For earlier. I was..."

"Hey, it's okay." He flashed her another charm smile, then he was gone.

Brennan sat forward, resting her elbows on her desk and putting her head in her hands. She had to get over this, it was affecting her work and now she was yelling at Booth.

Glancing up at her computer screen, she couldn't help but smile. Flashing across the completely black screen, were white letters, spelling out, BONES, along with a skull and crossbones.

Shaking her head, she moved the mouse and the screen saver disappeared. In it's place were the words, 'Don't even think about it!' in a new word document open on the screen.

Closing that out, she decided to try to work on her book. Pulling up the file labled, accurately but uninspired, 'book', she noticed there was an extra document. She opened it cautiously. 'I mean it, Bones! Go home!'

Brennan sighed. Well, he certainly had been busy for the fifteen minutes she had left him alone! He knew her so well it was scary. She gave up, and, closing her computer down, she stood and reached for her bag and keys. Her cell phone beeped, alerting her that she had a text message. Flipping open the phone, she laughed. 'Don't make me check up on you!'

"Okay, bossy, I'm going!" '_Great, Bren, now you're talking to yourself!'_ Muttering under her breath about alpha male tendencies, she turned and walked out the door.

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**So, let me know what you think! I hope it wasn't too slow, the next chapter should be better!** M**usie has been a writing fool, and I now know where I'm going with this!** lol!


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry it's been a few days, but between work, packing for the mountains, and writing my fic for the dance challenge, I was kinda busy!! Anywhoo, hope you like it, angst with a side of fluff, with more fluff on the horizon! Maybe even a little smut, who knows?!**

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Brennan walked out of the pharmacy, the bottle of pills clutched tightly in her hand. She had hated to resort to this, but she had no other choice.

Yesterday she had yelled at each of the team in turn, driving Zach to reatreat into his lab, Hodgins emailing her his findings instead of talking to her personally, and bringing Angela near tears. Then this morning, when she had woken from the nightmare, she had grabbed her phone and dialed Booth's number before she could stop herself.

Hearing his voice had calmed her, but she had lied to him, telling him how the phone had fallen and she had picked it up, hitting the speed dial by mistake. He hadn't commented, but she could tell that he hadn't believed her.

So she had left work early today, ignoring the surprised glances and worried looks, and gone to the doctor. Believing her sleeplessness to be stress related, he had prescribed the sleeping pills. She just hoped that they worked.

Traffic was heavy on this Friday afternoon, and it took her almost 40 minutes to make her way home. Breathing a sigh of relief as she closed her door, she dropped her bag on the sofa, pulling out the bottle of pills, and made her way into the kitchen.

She couldn't ever remember feeling this tired. Getting a glass of water, she took two of the pills, then made her way to the bedroom. She quickly changed out of the blouse and skirt she had worn to work into sleep shorts and a tank top, and slipped into bed.

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Booth pulled up outside Brennan's apartment building and stopped the SUV. Something was going on with her, and he was determined to find out what it was. She had been edgy with everyone lately, and he didn't believe her story about her phone call to him this morning. Of course, her leaving work early had been the deciding factor. Bones NEVER left the lab before 6:00 PM.

He debated calling her first, but he had decided to just show up. The less time she had to come up with an excuse, the better.

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"Bones?" She was falling into darkness, his voice following her down. She tried to pull herself up out of the nightmare, but she couldn't. She couldn't move, couldn't speak, she was drowning in a sea of darkness. She thrashed about on the bed, a moan finally escaping her lips, trying desperately to wake.

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Booth hesitated before knocking on her door, second guessing his decision to confront her. Maybe he should just go, come back in the morning. Forcing her to talk to him probably wasn't the best idea.

Just as he was about to turn away, he heard a muffled sound coming from her apartment. Pressing his ear to the door, he listened intently. The sound came again, louder this time, and he recognized her voice, hoarse, filled with fear, calling his name.

He drew his gun and reached for the doorknob, fear consuming him as he realized it was unlocked. Wrenching open the door, he rushed into the apartment, following her terrified moans to the bedroom.

Fearing the worst, he burst through the door, and stopped short. She lay on the bed, head whipping from side to side, moaning incoherently. Her body was drenched in sweat, and the sheets were twisted at the foot of the bed.

"Temperance!" He rushed to her side, dropping his gun, grabbing her arms and shaking her, trying to wake her from the nightmare that was obviously plaguing her. "Bones!"

"No, no, no!" She started to shiver, and he pulled her into his arms.

"Shhh, it's okay." He kept murmuring to her, rubbing her back until finally the tremors eased, and her breathing evened. He laid her back down on the bed, reaching for the blanket that had fallen to the floor, and gently covered her. He looked down at her a moment, then turned and started out.

"Booth." Her voice was barely a whisper. He turned back. "Please stay", she whispered.

Walking over to her, he lay down beside her, pulling her into his arms. "I'm not going anywhere, Temperance."

Brennan felt the comforting warmth of his arms, and she closed her eyes, falling into a deep, and dreamless, sleep.

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**Okay, so...this will be the last chapter until I get home on Monday evening, so I hope it will do!!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Well, here it is, a day late, but I hope it's worth it! Thanks so much for the reviews, you are all so great!**

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Brennan woke feeling better than she had in weeks. No nightmares had interrupted her sleep. The pills must have worked. Sitting up, she stretched, smiling until it all suddenly came back to her. The nightmare, Booth being there, waking her, staying with her.

Closing her eyes, she remembered the feeling of being in his arms. The contentment, the peace. She had always felt that way when he held her, but never more than last night. Her cheeks burned as she remembered asking him to stay. She cursed herself for her weakness. She hated being dependant on anyone, even her FBI agent partner, who had assigned himself the role of her protector, however unwanted that may be.

Sighing, she slipped out of bed, glancing at the clock as she did so. 12:21 PM. She couldn't believe she had slept so long. It was a good thing it was Saturday, or she would never had heard the end of it from Cam.

Making her way down the hall to the kitchen, she wasn't surprised to see Booth, his back to her, standing in front of the open refrigerator. "Booth."

He jumped, turning around and letting out a small yell. "Geez, Bones, you shouldn't sneak up on people like that!" He reached back and closed the refrigerator door. "Whistle or something next time."

She couldn't help but smile. "Sorry. Some Ranger you are."

"Hey! You can't blame me, I'm not in the jungle, for God's sake!"

She laughed, then her expression sobered. "What are you doing here, anyway?"

"I was about to make lunch." He flashed her a charm smile. "Are you hungry?"

She shook her head. "Booth..."

She stopped, and he looked at her questioningly. "So, are you going to tell me what's going on?"

She dropped her eyes and turned away. "I'm fine, Booth."

"Bones, I was here. You weren't fine." He followed her as she walked out into the living room and sat down on the sofa. "You've been edgy, yelling at me, at the squints. Then last night..." He paused. "You're not fine."

"I just haven't been sleeping well lately. That's all."

"Is that why you need the pills?"

Anger flared up in her. He had no right to go through her things. She stood up and faced him. "That's none of your business!"

He watched the anger flash in her eyes, and he returned the gaze with his own. "Not my business?!"

"You're my partner, Booth, that's all! You're not my father, or my brother, or my..." She broke off.

"Not your what, Bones?" He waited for her to answer, and when she didn't, he went on. "Well, how about a friend, then? Because I thought I was at least that."

Something in his voice tugged at her heart, and her anger left her as quickly as it had come. "Booth..."

"And it is my business." He walked toward her, stopping when he was merely inches from her. "I care about you, Temperance." He reached up and lightly brushed her cheek. "And whatever's wrong, it's affecting your work, and it's starting to affect your judgement."

She looked at him, confusion evident in her features. "What do you mean?"

"When I got here last night, your door was unlocked. I heard you, and I thought..." His voice trailed off.

Brennan dropped back down on the sofa. "I'm sorry. I just..." She took a deep breath. "Look, what I said, about you being just my partner...I didn't mean it. You know you mean more to me than that. I just..."

"Temperance." He sat down beside her. "You know you can talk to me about anything." He caught her chin with his finger, lifting her face up to look at him. "Please, tell me what's wrong."

She looked up into his eyes, and she wanted so much to tell him, to let him take her in his arms, like he had last night, and comfort her. "I..."

The ringing of his cell phone interrupted her words. She pulled back, and he sighed. "Temperance..."

"You should get that." She stood and quickly walked into the kitchen.

_Damn_ Booth reached for his phone, mentally cursing the timing. She had been about to open up to him. Shaking his head, he opened the phone. "Booth."

Brennan paced the kitchen. What had she been thinking? She could do this on her own, she didn't need Booth to help her. She refused to become dependant on him.

She quickly made a decision to go into the lab. If she stayed here, the temptation would be too great, and she would end up revealing everything. She stopped pacing and made her way into the bedroom.

Booth looked up a few minutes later as she emerged from her bedroom. She was dressed in a long flowing skirt of deep blue, and a v neck cream colored shirt. "Bones..."

"I have to go to the lab for a while, since I left early yesterday." She reached for her bag.

"No."

The sharpness of his words angered her. "What did you say?!"

He walked to her and grabbed her arm. "I said no. You're not walking away from this."

She pulled her arm away, her eyes shooting daggers at him. "This is MY home, and MY life, and I'll do whatever I damn well please!"

"I am not going to let you run away, Bones! Not this time." He moved past her and stood in front of the door. His features softened as he looked at her. "Look, I just want to help you..."

Brennan glared at him. "I don't care! What makes you think I want or even need your help? And why do you even care, anyway?!" She tried to brush past him, but he once again grabbed her arm, and pulled her back to face him.

"Because I love you."

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**Okay, there you go! I might be inclined to post the next chapter before I go on vacation on Friday, if I have any requests for it! lol!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Okay, here's the next chapter, as promised. I'm not entirely happy with it, I struggled a bit, but I hope you enjoy it anyway! And thanks so much for the reviews, they're wonderful! Keep them coming, they make musie happy!**

**btw, I haven't been getting my review alerts, so I apologize that I haven't responded to everyone, but I do really appreciate your comments, they really mean the world to me!**

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Brennan stared at him, the words hanging in the air between them. He loved her? She had known there was a mutual attraction there, but love? She told herself that he didn't mean it, but oh how she wanted him to. Just hearing those words had caused her breath to catch and a shiver run down her spine.

She mentally shook herself. She couldn't afford to let herself get sidetracked by his words, and by the way he was now looking at her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Booth searched her face, trying to read the emotions there. He hadn't meant to say it, it had just come out, but he knew there was no taking it back now. Not that he wanted to. It was out there, finally, and now they had to deal with it. "Bones..."

She pulled away and stepped back. "Don't." She shook her head. "It won't work." She turned and started to walk away.

"Wait, what?!" Booth followed her. "What the hell are you talking about? What won't work?!"

She turned back suddenly, and Booth had to stop himself before he ran into her. "Saying...that. It's not going to make me talk to you, make me tell you what's wrong."

Booth was stunned for a moment before realization dawned. "You think I just said I love you to get you to do what I want?" He pushed back the anger that was threatening to overwhelm him. It wasn't her fault that she was suspicious. Life had done that to her.

He took a step toward her, and she flinched but stood her ground. "First of all, I would NEVER say those words unless I meant them." He inched closer, and this time she took a small step back. "And admittedly, the timing isn't perfect, but I'm not sorry I said it."

Brennan stared into his eyes and saw the truth in them. Her heart was pounding in her chest, so loud she couldn't believe he couldn't hear it. "Booth, I..."

He brought a finger up to her lips to silence her protest. "I've watched you these past few weeks, knowing something was wrong, but wanting you to trust me enough to tell me. And it hurts, more than I care to admit, that you didn't." Sliding his finger from her lips, he gently brushed his fingers down her cheek. "I love you, Temperance, and I want to help you." He leaned down, their lips inches apart. "Please let me help you," he whispered, before his lips met hers in a gentle kiss.

Brennan didn't remember putting her arms around him, or her hands running up his back, and she didn't remember pulling him to her. She couldn't think of anything but the way his lips felt on hers, and the tremors that ran through her body at his touch. Her body ached for him, and she moved her hands back around him, sliding them under his shirt, and running her hands up his chest.

Booth sucked in a breath as her fingers lightly caressed his skin. He pulled back, encircling her wrists in his hands. "Bones, wait." He closed his eyes, trying to get his breathing under control. He hadn't meant to get carried away, but her boldness had momentarily wiped away any thoughts of restraint he might have had. He opened his eyes slowly, and looked down into her beautiful blue eyes, darkened with desire.

She looked up at him, slowly coming back to her senses. He was looking at her intently, and it was as if he could see into her soul. "Booth?"

He reluctantly stepped back, dropping her hands, but kept his gaze on her. He watched as confusion clouded her features, and he regretted hurting her. "I'm sorry."

Brennan dropped her gaze to the floor. "I...I'm sorry, too...I just..." Her voice trailed off, and she glanced back up at him.

Booth realized that she had misunderstood. "No, Temperance, you've got it all wrong. I'm not sorry I kissed you." He moved toward her again, but stopped as he thought better of it. If he got too close, he wasn't going to be able to resist the temptation to take her in his arms. "Look, I didn't mean to spring this on you. It's just...I'm worried about you. And I want you to know, that I'm here for you. No matter what."

Her heart skipped a beat at his words. "Not always," she whispered.

Her words were spoken so low, he almost didn't hear them. "Hey." He reached out and took her hand. "Look, Bones, I know it seems like everyone you love has left you, but I promise you, I won't."

"You can't promise that, Booth." She pulled her hand away. "Words are just that; words. Everyone leaves."

"Not me." His heart broke at the hopelessness he heard in her voice. "I'm here to stay." He gave her a smile. "I'm not going anywhere."

"You almost did."

Booth looked at her, a question in his eyes. "What are you talking about? I'm right here."

"Not now. I mean..." She shook her head. "Never mind. I have to go." She turned and started down the hall to her bedroom.

He caught up to her before she reached the safety of her room. "Not this time." He grabbed her before she was able to shut the door. "Tell me what you meant."

"I just..." Her voice broke, and she tried to turn away, but he took her face in his hands.

"Tell me. Please."

"If I..we hadn't found you..." Tears sprang to her eyes, and she wiped them away angrily. "I don't know what I would've done if I lost you, Booth."

"Hey." He pulled her into his arms, guilt bubbling up in him. "Shh, I'm here." He had been reckless, going after icepick alone, and he hated what he had put her through. He hadn't known, however, just how much she'd been affected, how afraid she had been, until now. He stood there, whispering soothing words, absently rubbing circles on her back. "I'm okay, you found me, and I'm fine."

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**Sorry to cut it short, but I really wanted to post tonight, and I was really struggling there for a bit. I promise to have at least one more fluffy, possibly smutty chapter when I get back! Enjoy!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Okay, so, after reading the last chapter over again, I really don't like the way it went at all, so, because I'm kind of stuck, I'm just going to finish it with this chapter. Sorry, I hope you enjoy it anyway. I've been told that I'm my own worst critic, and I'm sure that's true. I think most writers are. Thanks to all who have read and reviewed, you are all so sweet, you probably wouldn't tell me if it's crap! lol! jk, I really appreciate all my readers, and I hope I haven't disappointed you. And actually, I do like this chapter.**

**Anywhoo, enough of my ramblings...**

Chapter 6

Brennan pulled out of Booth's arms, silently cursing herself for her weakness. She hadn't meant to give so much away. "I'm sorry." She turned from him and walked over to the window.

Booth sighed. She always had to be so strong. He had hoped she would let herself lean on him, just this once. "Bones..."

Turning suddenly to face him, she interrupted him. "Look, Booth, you're right. I haven't been sleeping, and it's been affecting my work." Her cheeks colored slightly. "And obviously my emotions. But I have it under control now, so..."

"Control?!" Booth shook his head and moved toward her. "Look, Bones, I hate to break it to you, but you're not in control." He stopped in front of her. "And don't try to make excuses, we both know that kiss meant something."

She shook her head and turned away, but he caught her arm and pulled her back to face him. "Lean on me, okay, Temperance? Tell me what's wrong."

"I...I can't"

"Hey, you can tell me anything, you know that."

"No, I know, it's just..." She closed her eyes, willing away the tears that were threatening to fall. "I hate it. Not being in control." She opened her eyes and looked at him. "I hate being weak."

He reached up and brushed his fingers down her cheek. "Everybody needs to rely on somebody sometime, Temperance. It doesn't mean you're weak." He smiled at her. "You're the strongest person I know, but if you try to do everything yourself, eventually you're gonna break."

"I know, I just...It's hard. And it scares me, how much I rely on you. How much I feel for you." She took a deep breath, forcing herself to go on. "Because I don't know what I'd do, how I'd manage, without you."

She kept her eyes on his, and was surprised when she saw him smile. "Well, it would be unbearable without my smiling face around constantly."

She smiled slightly. "Don't..."

He pulled her to him. "Look, Bones, I can't promise you that something won't happen to me, because we both know that's impossible to know. What I can promise is that I'll be here for as long as you need me, that I won't walk away." Caressing her cheek with his thumb, he leaned down and planted a soft kiss on her lips. "I meant what I said, Temperance. I love you. And that's never going to change."

She looked up at him, recognizing the truth in his eyes. "I know," she whispered. She turned away, walking over to the sofa and sitting down. "That's the one thing I'm sure of."

Booth followed and sat down beside her. "Please tell me."

Brennan sighed. "Ever since you were kidnapped, I've been having dreams. Nightmares." Her voice was flat, emotionless. "I don't get there in time. I can't save you."

"Bones..."

"I look into your eyes, and there's nothing. No warmth, no smile. Nothing." Her voice lowered to a whisper. "And that's when I know."

He reached over and took her hand. "Know what?" She turned to him, and he saw the unshed tears standing in her eyes. "Temperance?"

"That I don't want to live without you. That nothing matters if you're not there." Now her voice became thick with emotion, and she reached up and brushed away a tear that had mananged to fall. "Thay you mean more to me than I ever thought anyone could."

Booth waited, sensing her need to get this out, but his heart was breaking at her words.

"But what really scares me the most is that, in the dream, when Gallagher turns to me, the screwdriver in his hand, I..." She paused for a moment. "I don't do anything. I don't fight back." She closed her eyes, letting the tears fall. "I...welcome it. It's like, if you're not here, I have nothing to live for."

"Hey.." He pulled her close. "It's just a dream, it doesn't mean anything."

She pulled back and looked up into his eyes. "But what if..."

He stopped her words with a quick kiss, reaching up to cup her face with his hands. "Dreams are just that, dreams. You're Temperance Brennan. You'd never give up on anything. And if anything were to happen to me, you'd go on. I know you would, because that's who you are." He stood and pulled her up with him. "Now, go change. The lab can do without you for one day, and I think you have more sleep to catch up on."

A small smile played on her lips. "A little bossy there, aren't you?"

"Well, I have a lot of practice. There's this forensic anthropologist I know that won't eat or leave the lab unless I make her."

She laughed, a small one, but it was enough to make him breathe a sigh of relief. The smile stayed for a moment, then her face sobered. "Booth..."

"I'll stay," he said softly. "As long as you need me."

She nodded, then turned and walked down the hall.

BBB

**Okay, there you go. Actually, I may have a little epilogue with some fluff in it, since I promised you some, if you really want it! lol!**

**Thanks again, everyone, you guys ROCK!!!!!!!!!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Well, here it is, a nice fluffy chapter to end everything. Oh, and there's some smut, too! Especially for kasper, cuz it's her birthday today! Happy Birthday, kas, and enjoy my 'gift'! lol!**

**Thanks so much to everyone for all your support, you all are so wonderful!**

BBB

2 weeks later

Brennan signed the report and closed the file with a sigh. It had been a tough case, but it was finally over. Booth had arrested the killer this morning. The man had strangled his stepson in a fit of rage and dumped his body in a ravine. Without the squints knowledge and Booth's skill, he would have gotten away with it.

She stood and gathered her things, looking at her watch and smiling. 5:32 PM. Usually she'd be working until at least 7:00, but tonight she was meeting Booth.

The past two weeks had been a little crazy. They had both agreed to go slow, to see where their new relationship took them. They had been busy with work, but they had stolen a few moments here and there, quiet looks, brief touches. And kisses. Brennan shivered as she recalled the feelings his kisses aroused in her. She had never been with anyone who made her feel like he did. He could make her forget everything with just the touch of his lips.

They still argued, especially about their cases, but that was just how they were. She couldn't imagine that would ever change, and in truth, she was glad. She wouldn't have it any other way.

Making her way out through the lab, she thought about her nightmares. They had stopped; she hadn't had one since the night Booth had come to her apartment. It was if telling him had released the dream's hold on her.

She was so caught up in her thoughts, she didn't notice Angela watching her, a knowing look on her face. The artist had noticed the change in Brennan's relationship with Booth, but had not said anything to her friend, showing unusual restraint.

She knew Bren had been having a tough time, but she had seemed to work through it, with Booth's help, and Angela was willing to wait for her to tell her. She hoped it wouldn't be too much longer, though. She was having a hard time keeping her mouth shut, especially to Hodgins.

Shaking her head, Angela made her way back to her office. Well, one way or another, she knew their secret would be out soon, because they couldn't seem to keep their hands off each other when they thought they were alone. Even Zach, who was usually so clueless, would figure it out soon.

BBB

Closing the apartment door behind her, Brennan laid the file on the coffee table, stopping to smell the bouquet of wildflowers that she had found on her desk yesterday afternoon. Booth may be an ex-sniper, and tough FBI agent, but he was definately a romantic at heart.

She sat down on the sofa and kicked off her shoes. She hadn't told Angela about her and Booth. It was still too new, and she didn't want to share it with anyone yet. It was amazing how wonderful she felt when she was with him. She had always told herself that she would never risk her heart again, but instinctively she knew that with Booth it was different. She trusted him completely, with her life, and with her heart.

A soft knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. Smiling, she stood, crossing to the door and opening it. "Gee, Bones, how many times do I have to tell you to look see who it is before just opening your door!"

Brennan laughed and stood back to let him pass. "At least once more, apparently." She shut the door behind him.

Booth shook his head. "Bones, you need to..." His words were cut off as she stepped into his arms, silencing his reprimand with a kiss. He forgot what he was going to say, as he put his arms around her and pulled her closer. Breaking the kiss, he looked down at her. "Is that how you get your way now? Trying to distract me?"

She smiled. "Are you complaining?"

"No, I'm definately not complaining." He smiled back, but he knew he was in trouble. He would give her almost anything when she kissed him like that. He had to make sure she never figured that out. "So, what do you say we go out and celebrate?"

"Johnson confessed?"

"Of course. With all the evidence you gathered, he knew he was sunk." He grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the door. "So, let's go."

"Booth." She stopped and pulled her hand from his. "I don't really feel like going out tonight."

"Why?"

"I'd just rather stay in, that's all."

Booth searched her face. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, it's just..."

"What's wrong?" His expression became concerned. "You're not having nightmares again, are you?"

She shook her head. "You know, for someone who is so good at solving crimes and reading people, you can be absolutely clueless sometimes." She slid her hands up his chest, fisted his shirt in her hands and pulled him to her, meeting his lips in a passionate kiss.

Booth wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer. He deepened the kiss, his hands moving up to run through her soft hair.

He came to his senses as he felt her fumbling with his shirt buttons. He pulled back, his pulse racing, trying to catch his breath. "Temperance..."

"I want you," she whispered, and he almost lost the little control he was clinging to.

"Slow," he breathed. "We agreed..."

She took his face in her hands. "That whole 'waiting' thing? I'm done with it." She stretched up and kissed him lightly. "Make love to me, Seeley."

With those words, Booth was lost. He picked her up and carried her into the bedroom.

Laying her down on the bed, he undressed her slowly, watching her face as desire clouded her eyes. He lightly ran his hands over her soft skin, making her body sing with pleasure. He delighted in the whimpers he elicited from her as his lips gently skimmed her body, following the path his hands had taken.

Brennan had never felt anything like this. His hands and mouth were exploring her body, taking her to places she'd only dreamed of. She reached for him, wanting to touch him the way he was touching her, to make him feel what she felt. To give back all the pleasure he was giving to her, but he grabbed her wrists. "Booth..."

"Shhh." He kissed her lips, effectively silencing her protest. "Just let me love you," he whispered.

Gently releasing her hands at her moan of assent, he continued to assault her body with his hands and lips, bringing her closer and closer until her body ached with need. "Please," she whispered. "I need you inside me."

Booth groaned at her words, his body instantly hard. Pausing, he quickly undressed, then lay down beside her.

Brennan reached for him, running her hands down his lean, hard body, reveling in the feel of him. She touched and caressed, kissed and tasted, until his body couldn't take anymore. Raising himself up, he slipped inside her, and she cried out in pleasure. He paused, closing his eyes and willing himself to slow down, or it would be over before he had even begun.

She moved under him, and he sucked in a breath. "Bones, wait." God, she felt so good. Letting out a breath, he opened his eyes, slowly moving on top of her. She moaned, her hands roaming his back, pulling him closer. He felt the heat of her, how perfect it felt to be inside her, and he picked up his pace. She matched his rhythm, gasping in pleasure, until she felt herself soaring towards her release.

Booth felt her body tighten around him, and he couldn't hold off any longer. He cried out with the force of his release, her cries mixing with his, until he finally collapsed on the bed beside her. Unable to form a coherent thought, he pulled her into his arms, and softly stroked her back, until his breathing finally evened.

Later, Brennan lay in his arms, her mind wandering back to the day two weeks ago. The day he had said the words that had changed their relationship forever. She wanted so much to be able to say the words back to him, but she wasn't sure she could. She did love him, she knew that, even before tonight, before the most incredible experience of her life, but she just didn't know if she could tell him. She wasn't sure if she was ready to admit it, to say it out loud, because, in telling him, she would be giving him a piece of her that she had never thought she would trust to anyone again.

She turned her head to look at him. He was sleeping, and she watched him for a moment, his handsome features relaxed in sleep. She lightly traced his jaw with her fingers, and her expression softened. "I love you," she whispered to his sleeping form, and she found that the words came more easily than she imagined.

Sighing, she lay back down beside him. Closing her eyes, she missed the smile that crossed his lips as he savored her whispered words. Soon, he thought to himself. Soon she'd be able to tell him. For now, he was content. Tightening his arms around her, he drifted off into sleep.

The end.

**Well, that's it. It didn't go exactly the way I wanted it to, but I hope you liked it anyway. Thanks so much to everyone who read and reviewed, you've been great, as usual!**


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